Device for raising sunken submarines



April 14, 1942. s. A. LYON DEVICE FOR RAISINGy SUNKEN SUBMARINES 2Sheets-Sheet l mh [Null Filed Dec. 4, 1940 /N VEA/TOR SwayzeI A. Lyon. Ov

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'A froze/VE xs' April 14, 1942. s, Al LYON K v DEVICE FOR RAIsING SUNKENsUBMARINEs 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 4, 1940 Iggy- A TTORNE XsPatented Apr. 14, 1942 DEVICE FOR RAISING SUNKEN SUBMARINES ySwayze A.Lyon, Columbus, Ohio Application December 4, 1940, Serial No. 368,519

' 2 claims. rc1. 114-164) vMy invention relates to a device for rraisingsunken submarines. It has to do, more particularly, with a device whichwill indicate the location of a submarine after it sinks and which canbe used in raising the submarine.

' There have been a number of different devices suggested in the pastfor this purpose. However, none of these devices have been verysatisfactory. With most of these devices, it is necessary for the rescueship to have special vequipment for cooperating with the device carriedby the submarine in order to raise the submarine. This is a greatdisadvantage inasmuch' as a properly equipped rescue ship may, not benear the locamost of these prior art devices have -been extremelycomplicated and expensive to install on a submarine. Prior art deviceshave been possessed of many other disadvantages.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a device for indicatingthe locationv of and for tion where the submarine sinks. Furthermore,

use in raising sunken submarines and which isv extremely simple andinexpensive to vinstall on the submarine but which is very eiicient forthe purposes for which it is intended.

Another object of my invention is to provide a device of the typeindicated for use in raising sunken submarines which is of such a naturethat the rescue ship need not be provided with special equipment -forcooperating therewith and, f

consequently, any nearby ship may be used in the rescue work.

Another object of vmy invention isl to provide a device of the typeindicated which is of such a nature that the initial movement of thesubma-` rine towards the surface will be greatly facilitated. l l

In its preferred form, my invention' embodies an attachment whichisfadapted to be secured to the submarine at one end thereof. Thisattachment embodies a buoy vwhich is normally seated on a suitable seaton the exterior of the submarine. Means is provided for maintaining thebuoy on its seat under normal conditions but which can be operated froma point inside the?` L submarine to release the buoy and allow it torise to the surface. The buoy has attached thereto a small cable whichwill unwind as it rises to the surface and a larger cable Vwhich isattached to the submarine and the free end of which can be drawn to thesurface by the smaller cable attached to the buoy. The larger cable isattached to the submarine at the -front thereof. It passes through aspecial member into the interior of the submarine where it is anchored.

This member is of such a nature that an additional cable may be attachedthereto to be used in conjunction with the other cable for raising thesubmarine. This member is so disposed that the additional cable may belooped around the permanently attached cable and whenk lowered will beguided into position over a projection portion of such sleeve member. n

This application is a continuation in part of my application, Serial No.220,277, led July 20,

1938, now abandoned;

The preferred embodiment of my' invention is illustrated in theaccompanying'drawings wherein similar characters of reference designatecorresponding parts and wherein:

Figure 1 isa side elevation showing a submarine with my device appliedthereto.

Figure 2 is an enlarged view mainly in section showing my device.

Figure 3 is a detail Vin perspective of the special member which Iprovide at the front of the submarine through which the large cablepasses into the interior thereof. 1 y .A

Figure 4 is a perspective view of'a vportion of the device showing thebuoy released and beginning to rise. f

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic view showing how the buoy will rise to thesurface after it is released, pulling the small cable therewith. Y

Figure 6 is a similar view illustrating' how the small cable may beutilized to pull the larger cable to the sur-face.

Figure 7 is a similar view illustrating howthe permanently attachedcable may be employed to guide an additional cable into'position to beattached to thespecial sleeve member. Y

Figure 8 isa similar View showing how the cables may be used to startpulling the submarine towards the surface.

Figure 9 is a similar View showing cables attached to both ends of thesubmarine.

Figure 10 is a view showing the additionai cable guided into position sothat it fits around the projecting part of the sleeve member.

With reference to the drawings, in Figure 1, I have illustrated myinvention attached to a submarine I of the usual type. One of my devicesis shown attached to the submarine at each end thereof.

As illustrated best in Figures 2, 3 and 4, my device includes a -buoy 2in the form of a sphere which may be constructed of any'suitablematerial and in any suitable manner. The buoy is of such a nature thatit will float on water and will sustain the weight of a cable which isattached to it in a manner to be described'.

'I'he buoy 2 normally seats, as indicated in Figure 2, on an annularinclined seat 3 disposed at the upper end of a housing 4 of annularcross section. This housing 4 may be formed as an integral part of thehull of the submarine and projects into the submarine as indicated inFigures 1 and 2. Thus, a cylindricalhousing 4 is provided which has itsupper end opened and its lower end closed, the `lower end being disposedWithin the submarine. The buoy 2 will normally rest on the seat 3 andthe seat3 is preferably made of rubber so that there will be awatertight seat at this point.

In order to maintain the buoy 2 on its seat during normal conditions, Iprovide a device which is accessible from the interior of the submarineand which may be operated to release the buoy when desired. Thus, inFigure 2 Ihave shown the lowergfsurface vof the buoy provided with anattachment 5 which maybe riveted thereto-or connected thereto in anysuitable manner. This attachment 5 rincludes .a downwardlygpro'jectingthreaded socket B adapted to -receive the-upper threaded `portion l of ascrew 8. This screw passes .througha'.centrallylocated boss 9 carried bythebottom vwall of the housing 4. This boss has :its Vinterior threadedfor cooperation with `the threaded portion `II) `of the `screw 8. Thescrew 8 may berotated ,by means of a-hand wheel I I `which is disposedinside the submarine in a'readilyraccessible position. T-he portion-,1is provided with -a fast thread while the portion I is provided with a`slow thread vso that'a slight turnjof the 4hand wheel yII will fresultin withdrawal of the upper end .of the screw lIlfrom 4thesoclret 6thereby quicklyreleasing the buoy. In order to prevent rotation -oft-hebuoy `atthe time, itis .being released by turning the screw 8,IVprovidean inwardly projecting lug I2 which cooperates with `a-slot I3inthe surface of the buoy 2 and prevents rotationbf the-buoy until it isreleased by the .screw 8. o

lThe buoy 2 `has a small cable I4 attached thereto. The end of thiscable isattached at I5 tothe'attachment 5 secured to the buoy. Thiscable isv normally wound yin 4acoil around the screw 8 Whichrests on thebottom nof the housing 4, as Nindicated in Figure 2. Theopposi-te end ofthe small cable is attached at L6 to one end of a large cable II. Thislarge cable --I'I is also disposed within the lhousing 4 in the formfofa` coil surrounding the coil of `smaller cable and resting on the bottomof the housing 4. This cable passes ,upwardly through a notch or slot I8(Figure 4) beneaththe buoy 2 and which is formed at the upper, edge ofthe housing 4. ,The cable I'I passes towards the adjacent end of thesubmarine along the exterior surface `of the hull.`

The cable passes around the end of the Submarine, downwardly and then ina reverse directionthrough a specialsleeve I9. This sleeve is disposedin an opening yformed inthe hull of the submarine and is secured `inposition by means of a collar 20`disposed within the hull, which issecured to the inner end of 'the sleeve by means of bolts'2I. The end'ofthe cable is anchored to a transversely extending :pin 'or rod 22, whichis secured to the Walls of the. submarinein a suitable manner -in a,watertightv compartment Ia of the end of the` submarine. It will benoted that the sleeve 49 has a funnel-shaped outer end 23, asindicatedrbest in Figure. Thiswill prevent `fouling of the cable. Itwill also be noted from Figure 2 that due to the rearwardly inclinedwall 24 of the submarine, and to the special shape of the outer end ofthe sleeve I91 the upper portion of the flange 25 on the extreme outerend of the sleeve will contact with the outer surface of the wall 24, asat 26. This contact will occur at the top of the sleeve only. At thebottom and sides of thesleeve there will be a substantial space 21between the flange 25 and the wall 24; Thisj's'tructure is provided sothat an additional cable may be looped around the cable II, lowered to aposition adjacent the sleeve I8, and be guided around the projectingportionof 'the sleeve. If an upward pull is exerted on the additionalcable, it will be firmly engaged with the projecting portion of thesleeve.

It will be apparent that my device will normally be inthe conditionillustrated in Figure 2. In case the submarine sinks, my attachment maybe used in the manner illustrated in Figures 5 to 9, inclusive. First,an occupant of thesubmarine will turn ,the hand Wheel IIV which releasethe buoy 2 in the mannerpreviouslyindicated. The buoy will immediately.rise tov the surface unwinding'thevsmall cable I4 .andpulling itupwardly therewith .(Fig'ure 5),.. The buoy will float on the surfaceand will indicate to a rescue ship the location lof they sunkensubmarine. The small cable I4 may then be pulled upwardly in order todraw the large *cable `I'I upwardly .tothe surface (Figure 6). Thiscable may then be lused in ,raising the submarine. However, in mostcases,.it will be `advisable .to use an Aadditional heavy cable inraising the submarine.v To attach this-additional cableft'o thesubmarine, it is ymerely'.l-,necessary to loop one end v23 4ofanVadditional cable 29 around the cable I 1` 1(Figure 7) at the surfaceand then to lower this cable 29. :The loop28 will cooperate with thevcable ,I-'I in `guiding, the cable.l 29 until the loop will passaroundthe projecting portion of sleeve I9. Then,V if the cable 29 is pulledupwardly slightly, it will pass 4into the space21 beneath thesleeve, asindicated -in Figure 10. There is no danger of the loop engaging the toppart ofthe sleeve becauselof4 the 'contactmf the end of the sleeve with-thehu1l at 26.A Then, as indicated in Figure 8, both the cable` IFI andthe cable 26'may be utilized in raising the submarine.

It is preferred to raise the submarine in the manner illustrated inFigures '7, 8 and -9. First, as indicated in Figure 8, the cablesia-reusedto raise one end of the submarine in -order `.to get it startedtowards the surface. kWith the craft lying on the bottom, Aas indicated-in Figure 7, it would be more `diflicult to lift both endsfat once.Therefore, one end only is lifted,to,get

vmay ybe produced.

The vdevice will be very eifective Ifor raising sunken `submarines but:still it isgextremely simple and isjinexpensive to installon asubmarine.. One of the limportam-t advantages of my device is due to the`factthat my attachments Various other objects and advantages will beapparent from the preceding description, the drawings and the followingclaims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A device for indicating the location of a sunken submarine and foruse in raising the submarine comprising a housing disposed on the hullof the submarine adjacent one end thereof and projecting into theinterior thereof, said housing having its upper end open and its lowerend closed, said housing having a seat formed at its upper end, a buoyresting on said seat, means for normally maintaining said buoy on saidseat, said means comprising a screw member passing through the bottom ofsaid housing and being connected to said buoy by a threaded -connection,said screw member being accessible from within the submarine in order topermit the release of the buoy when desired, intertting portions on saidbuoy and adjacent said seat to prevent rotation of the buoy untilreleased by said screw, a small cable normally disposed within saidhousing in surrounding relationship to said screw and having one endattached to said buoy, a notched passageway formed in the buoy seatbeneath said buoy, a larger cable normally disposed in said housinghaving one end attached to said small cable and having its other endpassed through said passageway formed in the buoy seat beneath said buoyand passed over the exterior of the hull of the submarine to the extremeend thereof, and opening in said extreme end of the hull, a passagewaythrough said opening to the interior of the hull for the cable to passthrough, the end of said cable being anchored to a transverselyextending pin secured to the wall in the interior of the hull.

2. A device according to claim 1 wherein a sleeve is disposed in saidopening in the wall of the submarine at said end, said sleeve having aprojecting funnel-shaped outer end, said funnel-shaped sleeve forming ahook with which an additional cable may be engaged,

SWAYZE A. LYON.

